The present invention relates generally to a mechanical broadhead, and more particularly, to a mechanical broadhead including rearward deploying and/or sliding blades.
A mechanical broadhead, sometimes referred to as an expanding blade broadhead, includes blades joined with a ferrule so that the blades can move from a retracted in-flight position to a deployed on-impact position. Mechanical broadheads generally have the flight characteristics of a field point, yet the penetration and cutting characteristics of a fixed blade broadhead.
One type of mechanical broadhead is a pivoting blade broadhead. This broadhead includes blades located in a slot defined by a ferrule so that the cutting edges of the blades face inward in the retracted, in-flight position. The blades are pivotally joined with the ferrule at their rear so they can rotate from the retracted, in-flight position to a deployed position on impact with the target. In the deployed position, the cutting edges of the blades face outward so that they can enhance penetration and cutting action. Pivoting blade broadheads, however, require substantial kinetic energy for blade rotation, which results in less energy remaining for target penetration.
Another type of mechanical broadhead is a rearward deploying broadhead. These broadheads come in many configurations. In one configuration, blades are disposed in a groove defined by a ferrule so that the cutting edge of the blades face outward. The blades also each define a lost motion slot through which a pin extends to movably join the blades with the ferrule. Each blade is disconnected from the other, and accordingly the blades move independently of one another. The pin is fixedly and immovably joined with the ferrule. On impact, the blades slide rearwardly, with the slot moving relative to the fixed pin, generally through a range of motion defined by the slot, until the blades achieve a deployed position. The interaction of the pin journaled and moving generally linearly in the lost motion slot, along with the blade engaging a rearward portion of a ferrule groove, results in the blades camming outwardly to the deployed position.
A completely different configuration of rearwardly deploying mechanical broadheads includes blades having projections, for example, bosses, positioned on opposite sides of the blades. These projections move in channels defined by the ferrule, and help define the opening path of the blades in conjunction with the blades engaging a washer, generally positioned at the rear of the ferrule.
Yet another type of rearwardly deploying mechanical broadhead includes blades that are disposed in a groove defined by a ferrule so that the cutting edge of the blades face outward. The blades are all joined at their ends with a common single circular ring that is translatably positioned in a channel defined by the ferrule. Thus, all the blades are connected to one another via the circular ring. On impact, the blades and the ring slide rearwardly until the blades achieve a deployed position. Sometimes, however, the ring does not move smoothly within the channel, which can cause the blades to move and deploy irregularly, or not deploy at all.
Mechanical broadheads have advantages over fixed ferrule broadheads, and rearwardly deploying and/or sliding blade mechanical broadheads provide similar advantages over their pivoting blade counterparts.